7 Happy Hat Patterns To Make You Smile

Woman in a bright green knit beanie and pink-framed glasses, looking sideways in front of a teal door. — Source: purlsoho.com

My favorite thing to knit (and also design) is hats.

They’re portable, quick to knit, and incredibly useful.

Once you understand their construction, they’re infinitely customizable.

It’s my favorite type of knitted item to gift to friends, and ideal for donating to charity.

And if you can knit a hat, you know 80% of the skills you need to knit almost any other knitting project.

There are many ways to knit hats, but the most classic is the traditional Watch Cap, also known as a beanie or toque.

Today we’re going to look at a few great watch cap projects you can knit in less than a weekend.

The Smoker (wearing traditional Monmouth hat) by Adriaen Brouwer (1630)

A brief history of the Watch Cap

Knitted caps are pretty well documented going back to the 14th century. The most famous of these come from the Welsh town of Monmouth.

This precursor to our modern watch cap hasn’t changed too much. The hat was knit from the brim up with simple shaping near the top. Just before binding off the stitches are gathered together into what’s called a *button* before picking up stitches for a double brim.

The design became popular amongst men working outdoors and soldiers. Wool caps were even used as cushioning under metal helmets.

While it is still highly associated with fishermen working in cold stormy weather, it wasn’t until WW2 that it garnered its modern name.

Navy crew members took turns on “watch” throughout the night for enemy movement. The thick woolen hats they wore were perfect for staving off the ocean chill. And as service men returned home for war, the style caught on, along with the name “Watch Cap.”

Knitted hats have never really gone out of style, especially with men. But in the early 2000s chunky knit hats with big pompoms started catching on with young women. These days you’re just as likely to see a fur pompom on top of a hat, but this trend seems to be dying out a bit.

Regardless, knitted watch caps aren’t going anywhere and remain a staple project for most knitters.

Woman seen from behind wearing a mustard cabled beanie with a spiral pattern, outdoors beside a garden path. — Source: Craftsy

Our favorite knitted watch cap projects

With the knitting boom of the mid 2000s came an influx of independent knitwear designers. And as hat’s are an easy project to design you can now find more than 75,000 beanie patterns on Ravelry.

Luckily we’ve cut through the noise to offer a few of our favorites.

Let’s dive in!

Spiral Rib Hat by Mary Maxim

This simple hat pattern is all about texture. Knit in a quick knit bulky yarn you'll have one of these done in no time.
Get it here
Musselburgh by Ysolda Teague

The original swatchless hat pattern: a classic double-layered beanie with 4-point crown shaping. The multi-gauge pattern now includes 9 gauges, for yarn weights between light fingering and DK, and 6 sizes.
Get it at Ravelry
Payne Hat by Fabienne Gassmann

A simple argyle cable, reminiscent of Scottish plaids, crisscrosses its way up this cozy, slightly slouchy hat, leaving plenty of space for the rustic nature of the tweed yarn to shine through. Its a perfect companion for long walks in the crisp fall air or in-between seasons.
Get it here
Ridgeline Hat by Emily Kintigh

This beautiful beanie knits up easily and quickly. Named for the rich vegetation of the Ridgeline trails in Eugene, Oregon, this hat is full of texture.
Get it here
Diagonal Rib Hat by Mary Maxim

Ok this one is maybe more shawl than scarf, but it really caught our eye so we had to include it. If you want a sampler style project to practice new stitches, this is gorgeous project is for you!
Get it here
Stockholm Hat by PetiteKnit

This is a different take on the classic watch cap, inspired by the street fashion of Stockholm. The crown is shaped with a straight section in the middle, and it's designed to have a bit of room at the top.
Get it at Ravelry
Lord's Seat Hat by Inese Sang

This whimsical hat plays with ribbing in a different way. Using twisted stitches to create curving lines, everything comes together in the crown as a beautiful masterpiece.
Get it here
Stripes on Stripes Hat by Lee Meredith

This clever hat uses two different self striping yarns to create a unique look. With some fun techniques peppered throughout, this hat will be hard to put down!
Get it here